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Friday, 4 September 2015

Battle of Paraitakene 317BC refight. Part Two: AAR

With over 1500 points on the table this was ideal for three people per side; I took control as Eumenes with Steve Matthews (Steve 1) on my
right flank to whom I gave all the light cavalry plus a unit of Mediums along
with some Persian archers and the light infantry. On my left was Steve Land
(Steve 3) who commanded all the remaining Battle
cavalry supported by some more Persian archers. I positioned myself in the
centre with all the Heavy infantry, what remained of the Persian archers and
the majority of the skirmishers.

My opponent as Antigonos was Steve Huntsman (Steve 4) with
all the infantry under his command, on his right was Nick with the Battle cavalry
whilst across on the left flank was Ian with eight units of Light cavalry.

I knew that as Eumenes I was outnumbered in both Heavy
infantry and Battle
cavalry so this was going to be tricky, in theory the infantry fight should be
relatively indecisive given the Phalanx rule or at the very worst drag on for at
least three or four turns once it got going. My best hope therefore was to stack my
left with supporting troops to help the cavalry melee and try to win on the
right where we had both heavier and more units, then it could turn in on to
the enemy centre which would hopefully still be busily engaged in the infantry
melee.

Our side collectively hung back and I just sent out the
skirmishers to see what damage they could do, Antigonos meanwhile was throwing
for three moves every chance he got but with little success especially in the centre.
Ian’s light cavalry did quickly get into range but upon arrival he was unsure
whether he should be skirmishing or getting stuck in, so he did a bit of both.
On this flank the sides were relatively similar however weight of numbers in
support eventually swung the fighting our way helped by the Light infantry and the
Medium cavalry I had given Steve1. With his cavalry now racing past him rapidly
towards their storage boxes, Ian started to try and avoid any further hand to hand but
Steve destroyed the fifth unit of Light cavalry or we had them all Shaken, I
don’t remember which, anyway it meant that Ian’s cavalry division broke. Now
it was time to save the centre.

Unfortunately on my left things weren't going so well. Nick’s
line of Heavy cavalry charged into their opponents, both sides consisting of
the cream of their armies forces; unfortunately our cream was rather runny.

Steve 3’s un-canny ability to continually throw a 2 and a 1
for any morale roll didn't help our cause and it immediately became known in
the club from that moment on as “throwing a Land “. In fact he got worse and
started throwing double Land‘s. It got to the stage were I was even considering
having him executed so as to inspire the troops, unfortunately it wouldn't have
had any beneficial effect as there weren't any troops left around to inspire.

His wing broke faster than things that break very fast
leaving me to split off whatever I could scrape together from my reserve lines
to try and block Nick’s cavalry.

Fortunately Steve 3 had caused some casualties prior to
immortalising himself in club legend so Nick didn't have a great deal immediately
available to exploit his victory, he could only throw in two units of Medium
cavalry against my hastily formed scrapings.
Finally some of those copious Persian archers actually did something
positive by shooting Nick's charge to a halt and the cavalry decided to hurriedly
rejoin their comrades currently rallying off the effects of smashing our left wing.

The centre fight went as I expected, my greater quantity of
skirmishers successfully managed to drive off their opponents and then tried to
slow up the oncoming juggernaut, however I too started throwing Lands and
double Lands for my shooting and it was pretty derisory.

The two lines clashed together but the more numerous
Antigonids couldn’t break through my more experienced troops and in some cases
were even starting to lose the melee. Four rounds of fighting only resulted in
the casualties piling up but on the extreme right of my phalanx some of the
weaker light infantry broke, Steve 1 wasn't quite near enough yet to save me
from having my line turned so I desperately threw in an Elephant to buy time
and which promptly stampeded, the Antigonids seeing that things were going their
way now ordered their infantry to close ranks across most of their line so as to
prolong the fight which would then allow Nick extra time to reform his cavalry and
to charge into my left.

Steve 1’s victorious forces were however being blocked off
by some of the Antigonids left centre preventing him from intervening in the
infantry bash and it was now time for me to be sending for my fastest horse so
as to get the hell out of Dodge. I knew that once Nick’s heavy cavalry had
reformed enough for it to be of use then the game was up and that would be probably
the next turn, so I conceded.

Fortunately it was only a game as I cannot actually ride a
horse and therefore would have had to die with my men, which would have really
ruined my day.

In the Historical battle the result on the day was a draw,
both sides centres slugged it out with Eumenes Silver Shields getting an
advantage, the light cavalry flank got broken and Antigonus cavalry defeated
their opponents as well (probably commanded by Stefanos Landinopolis) causing
Eumenes infantry to fall back. All very similar to our game apart from the
falling back bit of course, which I definitely would have done and not been
horribly slaughtered like Mr Huntsman says. Like they say, history is written
by the winners, well, most of the time.

Both sides met up again a short time later at the Battle of
Gabiene where the Silver Shields ended up by handing over Eumenes in exchange
for their captured baggage. If we do ever get around to re-fighting this battle
then remind me to strengthen the guards around the baggage.